TV Licensing

[NETWizz]

I believe you get a small discount if you happen to be blind.

Truth be told, it's just a tax now. With internet streaming and so many channels available, it's beyond ridiculous that the TV licence still exists. Obviously the government have no interest in reforming the licence. It has just become another corrupt government money making scheme.

The TV Licensing organisation rely purely on scare tactics and getting people (especially the elderly) to incriminate themselves by coercing them into admitting that they need a TV licence. If they have no evidence, there's nothing they can do but harass you. They like to pretend they have 'TV detector vans' (they even used to broadcast propaganda like this to scare people into paying up) but of course there's no such thing as a 'detector van'.

If you want to stop them from knocking on your door you can write to them and withdraw their 'implied right of access', which effectively means they're trespassing if they continue to call.

What if you are both blind and deaf?

Anyway, I must say British folks are so very polite. A nice touch is the "a prepaid envelope is enclosed for this purpose." That would NEVER happen in the USA. Instead, they would most likely simply never respond and continue to trespass even claiming to not have received such a notice if challenged later.

The alternative would be a threatening letter from their lawyers telling you where to stuff your property rights. Either way, they wouldn't even be diplomatic about it until such a point that you actually hired legal counsel and filed a lawsuit as a plaintiff at which point they would cease all communications with you at least until the disposition of the suit.

 

[wavey]

No discount for the deaf, 50% for the blind or partially sighted. Also no fee payable for the over 75s. It costs £147 per year or £49.50 for a black and white TV (who has a b/w tv nowadays?).
That reminds me of watching a program called Pot Black (snooker highlights) many years ago when some B/W TVs were still around, the commentator said "and for viewers watching in black and white, the blue ball is behind the red" LOL!

 

[Mick]

No discount for the deaf, 50% for the blind or partially sighted.

On the other hand, they do do sub-titles for most programmes and even sign-language for a few. God, that must be a tedious job!

 

[tarik]

Its not just TV it funds. Also all the local and national BBC radio programs as well as iplayer etc. IMO its well worth it... @NETWizz , How long were you over here for? Where were your staying and did it not already have a tv licence for that property?

They normally send afew letters out first and its a good few months before anyone even bothers to try visit the premises.

 

[Mick]

@tarik: I think he said (in another, previous post) he was thinking of taking up a job offer in the UK. Looks like that didn't work out.

 

[Terry Buck]

Tough times for the BBC, they need all the money they can get.

 

[NETWizz]

@tarik: I think he said (in another, previous post) he was thinking of taking up a job offer in the UK. Looks like that didn't work out.

I was out for about a month. I just look at the BBC like our PBS only BBC is better because they have Dr. Who and we don't.

Christopher Eccleston is still the best Doctor. Oh, and they also have Top Gear, which is awesome especially Jermey Clarkson and Captain Slow!!!

 

[Moltuae]

Oh, and they also have had Top Gear, which is was awesome especially Jermey Clarkson and Captain Slow!!!

FTFY

Well, technically they still have Top Gear, just not the one you describe. The 'real' Top Gear is now owned by Amazon under the name The Grand Tour, while the BBC are left holding a weak imitation of the former Top Gear.

 

[GTP]

Apart from Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker.

FTFY

 

[Moltuae]

I think you can pretty much tell someone's age by their favourite Doctor Who. For me, the real Doctor Who will always be Tom Baker (and Jon Pertwee is the real Worzel Gummidge).

I did quite enjoy watching David Tennant as Doctor Who when the series was first revived. I thought Matt Smith was ok too and I watched most of those. I found Peter Capaldi's acting wooden and unwatchable though. The first couple of Doctor Who episodes he was in were the last I ever watched. It wasn't just his acting that put me off though, I also found the storylines were getting a bit naff -- too much nonsense and romance. Torchwood went the same way.

 

[GTP]

I'd agree with you, but then we'd both be wrong.

Sonic screwdrivers at dawn? Or shall we just gang up on the kids who don't appreciate the classics?

Holster that sonic screwdriver! Can we just agree do disagree?
I just liked Tom baker as an actor. He was very casual in the role of Dr Who and introduced a comic element to his dialogue that I really liked.
Jon Pertwee was just "not quite right" in the role.
The other Doctors were wooden, with limited range as thespians, sounded like they were reading from a script, "I'm only doing this 'cause I couldn't get a gig anywhere else" types imo.